The Origins of St. Moritz and the genius of Swiss branding

How St. Mortiz, a town in the Engadin Valley became a tourist destination:

Johannes Badrutt, the business-savvy owner of the Engadiner Kulm hotel in St. Moritz, is celebrated as the father of winter tourism. According to legend, he spent a rainy evening in September 1864 by the hotel’s fireplace, talking to visitors from London. Badrutt claimed that on especially sunny winter days it was possible to walk around the area without a coat because of the warmth of the sun. He encouraged the English tourists to return in winter and see for themselves, offering to pay their travel costs if his account proved untrue. Travelers could not resist this intriguing bet and returned in mid-December—arriving under a bright sky and covered in sweat. They stayed until March.

From Lapham’s Quarterly. The Swiss don’t have a reputation for branding experts, but they should. It is one of the best and most subtly branded countries in the world. See also this article on Little Switzerland’s.

Both articles were brought to me via The Browser.